Method of cutting and looping springs



Dec. 26, 1944. c. G. HxcKs METHOD OF CUTTING AND LOOPING SPRINGS Filed octyze, 1942 2 sneetssheet 1 Il ,f 00 8 5 8 4 Dec. 26, 1944. v G, HlcKs 2,365,876

METHOD 0F CUTTING AND LOOPING SPRINGS Filed 001'.. 26, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 j invulling. f2 l L Slim 7 Che/ 6. H1658,

Patented Dec. 26, 1944 METHOD CUTTING ANDLQGPING SPRINGS.`

Hicks, Chicago, Ill., assi'gnor'to Maurice T;

" can G.

Williams and Ralphy E. Williams Application OctoberlZG, 194:2,p Serial; No... llzS-fl'l Claims.y (01."1'40-103-i 1f' This invention relates to a. method 'of forming spring elements: and' more particularly' to amethod for cutting and looping. ends of spring elements, such as do or: springs..

A. principal object. of the invention` is the provision of a method'. which combines, in a, continu ous series --ot op-erations the forming of thencoils Off a` spring ont. of; wire, the; cutting of the coiled wire into. separate spring elements,4 andthe iorm.- ingi ot the.w out` ends, `intoy loops, such loops; each being` either closed, open.. or hook-lilie- It` is an objectA of. this invention to. provide a method ot cutting and. looping springs in. which. a straight Wire-y is; coiled into ahelical spring which is cut into adjoining sections and in which adajoining cut. endsl of the sections are;` formed into loops, eachoi one. or more convolutions: or wire Another object of this invention is to combine, in one continuousrprocesst, the forming of wire into a helical` spring', the momentary cessation` of the coiling operation, the cutting: of the. coiled Wire during such cessation into `separate. lengths as well as` the subseduentytormingof the severed ends ofthe-springe,sectionsfinto loops.

Another object. is to: provide a, novel method oli forming ends of a coil spring intoaettachment hooks or loops. f

In. accordance with the. general features.- oli this, invention,I there. is provided a` continuous method of forming helical springs having integral loopsat the ends thereof,q which comprises ceiling a. portion. o-fv the spring and. advancing. the same tor a. predetermined. position, severing the pre-formed` spring into a. predetermined length; separating they proximate severed ends: oi the .spring and bending over portions-ot thesevered ends oi. the springs intopredetermined. congura.-

tions. l v

ln accordance with other features of this; in..- vention, there is provided' a method of forming helical springs having integral. attaching or fas--` tening ends; at the extremities thereof, whichcomprises coiling Wire into a` spring, of predetermined -length while, advancing the coiled. Wire to a` predetermined position,` momentarily` arresting the ceiling operation,` during such arresting: of the, ceilingv operation-. severing: a predetermined length :fromthe` advanced portion of thel spring, separating the severed length from the remaining. advancedportion of. the spring, and: bending: over-.the end; of the. severed length o the spring,

into anend fastener for; the same andi having: a

predetermined` desirable conguration.. The present inventionA relates to.. a. prouesse-of. cuttingv and. looping springs.. the. apparatus emiployedi performing such operations being. described and claimed in mycopending; application Serial No. 463.389,. entitled Mechanism for cutting and looping. springs tiled October. 26, 1942:-, for the reissuey of. my'Patent No; 2,268,824`

Qther: objects. and: features of` this invention :riore fully appear; from. the following detailed description. taken in connection. with. the.:y accompanying; drawings', W-hichillustrate.A one form of apparatus` for practicingmy novel. method, and inwhich: i Figure 1 is a. fragmeritaryA perspective. View of the; cutting and forming unit showing the sev eraly parts, therein illustrated in normal position;

Figure. 2 is afplansview of the machine embodyingmg invention;

Figure. 3:- isea vertical. sectional detail' view through. the cutting and `forming unit and is taken substantially along line 3--3:` in Figure 2; Figure Llis a. vertical sectional detail View subs stantially like Figure 3 lout` slightlyY reduced.. in scale. with respect thereto, and illustrating the partsifnereot in. .cutting and forming position;

Figure. 51 is.. a fragmentary perspective View illustrating thef-rst step in the cutting operation; Figure- 6 is val fragmentary perspective- View, complementary, to Figure 5,.,ill-ustrating thefshearing operation; v l i l Figure 'L is a.r perspective viewof one of the forming dies, illustrating. the. gradual steps in the l'oopiorming, operation;

Figure 8. is. a perspective? view ofa crimping die adapted to. cooperate. with the forming` die. of

Figure 7.; y

Figures. 911,. 9.1L, 90,. 9d, 9e., and 9j areV illustrative ofthe principal` steps inthe. cutting:v and `formingoperation,4 showing a. spring. unit` inrthe various stages romstarttonish.; and

` Fgure,.10ly is a ioreshortened perspective view oi. a iinished, spring showing the. two ends thereoi loopeclfor use..

It.. belevedthat my novel method can be best understood trom. a description of one type of apparatusA` capable ot practicingthermethod, al-

istA

though it.is .to be=understood that other forms of apparatus may, beusedifor carrying out the. steps of. the method; Withouty deviating, from the. spirit of.. thisinvention..

As shown on the drawings: Y

The general arrangement is best disclosed' in Fig.. 2. of' thedrawings, wherein: IIJ: indicates; a.

f bed. plate or tablewhich. forms; the;` substructure of the entire-machine.. Mounted, oirthebed. plate. l10n is, a wire ceiling unit"I lil: having conventions-t gea-ringj(notzshown);` adaptedito bedrivenlthrouglt shaft I2 in turn drivingly connected with a pulley I3 having a belt drivel I4 operatively trained over a like pulley associated with any suitable drive shaft or source of motion.

The wire coiling unit I I has the usual feed rollers I5 into which straight wire I6 is fed and by which such wire is forced into a coiling die I1 whence there is emitted a finished spring S in a direction at right angles to the line of feed of the wire I6.

A cutting and forming unit generally indicated at I3 is mounted on the table I0 adjacent the wire coiling unit I I. This unit I8 comprises in the main a stationary block I9 from which extends a pair of rails 2n grooved as at 2I to provide a guide for a movable block 22. A stationary frame 23 having a pair of vertically disposed leg elements 24 fixed to the table I0 as at 25 straddles the rails at the line of juncture of the two blocks I9 and 22. Between the legs 24 there is arranged for slidable movement a carriage 26 which carriage 26 has disposed thereon, among other things, a guide element 21 the lower end 28 of which is normally disposed between the abutting ends of the block elements I9 and 22.

The block I9 is disposed nearest the coiling unit II and forms an abutment for the movable block 22 which is normally urged toward block I9 by a helical spring means 29. The spring 29 is arranged on a rod 30 one end of which is reduced to seat into a recess formation 3| in block 22, -the opposite end of which rod 30 is disposed for sliding movement in a sleeve 32 formed in an adjustable screw anchor 33. The anchor 33 is threadedly supported in a cross beam 34 carried at its ends on a. pair of parallelly arranged strut bars 35 extending horizontally from the leg elements 24 adjacent the rails 20. The arrangement is such that the compression force of the helical spring 29 may be varied by adjusting the screw anchor 33 to position the anchor 33 nearer to the block 22, thus increasing the force against the block 22 or to withdraw the screw anchor 33 to relieve the spring vpressure on the block 22.

The abutting faces of the two blocks I9 and 22, heretofore referred to, are provided with tooled die units 36 and 31 respectively, for` reasons hereinafter to be explained. Each of the blocks I9 and 22 has formed therein a guideway 38 for the passage of the coil spring S produced on the wire coiling unit II, and these guideways 38 are in axial alignment with the spring S as it emerges from the coiling die I1 such that the normal' operation of the coiling unit will automatically feed the finished spring S into and through the guideways 38 until the desired length of spring has passed beyond the die units 36-31. The coiling unit I I will be shut off to stop the feeding of the spring S,-by and through th'e medium of a shutoff lever 39 operatively connected with the unit II and linked for operation to the main control lever 49 by a rod 4I, such that when the lever 40, which is normally latched in raised position, is released for downward rotative movement about its pivotal connection at 42 on the frame 23, the rod 4I will be depressed to operate the normally open shut-off lever 39v tostop the operation of the wire ceiling unit until the lever again resumes normal position.

The main control lever 40 is latched in raised position by a latch 43 slidably arranged'on lever 4I] and normally urged by a spring-operated palm grip 44 toward and into a. notch 45A formed on a pair of arms 46 pivotally supported on the frame 23 and lying againstrollers 41 on lever 40 to hold the arms 46 in position to receive the latch 43. A link 48 connects the main control lever 40 to the vertically movable carriage 26 such that upon release of the latch 43 from notch 45 the depression of lever 40 will likewise depress the carriage 26. The movable block 22 has its center portion 53 raised slightly above the uppermost surface of the rails 20, and in this raised portionl 53 there is cut a slot 54 clear through to the guideway 38 in block 22. There is disposed in the slot 54 for vertical movement relative thereto a clamping jaw 55, the lower end 56 of which is formed to bear down against the coil spring S passing through the guideway 38 to hold the spring S in vise-like fashion in the shifting block 22 for reasons hereinafter to become apparent. A pair of vertically disposed studs 51 have support on and extend upwardly from the block 53 and bridging the upper ends of these studs 51 is a plate 58 having its central portion directly above the movable jaw 55. A compression spring 59 is arranged between the jaw and the plate 58 upon a rod 6U which is fixed to and extends upwardly from the jaw 55 and has its lower end flared out as at 6I to provide a, seat for the lower end of the spring 59; the upper end of the rod 60 extending through a passage 62 formed in the plate 58 to support the spring and rod in vertical position and to guide the movement of its headed end 63 which carries a pair of locked nuts 64 whereby the headed end 63 is normally but releasably latched in a yoke formation 65 formed in the end of a stud 66 extending vertically from the carriage 26 for movement therewith.

VBy the foregoing arrangement of parts there is provided a means for clamping spring elements S within the movable block 22. The clamping jaw 55 is normally out of clamping relationship with spring elements disposed within block 22 but having an immediate clamping action upon such spring elements when the lever 40 is depressed as aforesaid and the carriage 26 descends to thereby release the yoke 65 from its hold on the spring-urged rod 60 and the clamping jaw connected thereto.

From the disclosure of Fig. 2, it is made apparent that the frame 23 is disposed at an angle to the axis of the coil spring S, which angle places the frame and its associatedparts in a plane parallel to the pitch on the coils of the spring, S. As hereinbefore stated, the carriage 26 has arranged thereon a guide element 21 the lower end 28 of which is disposed between the abutting ends of the blocks I9 and 22. Referring to Fig. 5, it will be noted that the guide element 21 is adapted to move up and down with one (left-hand) edge 49 thereof immediately adjacent the spring S as it passes through the guideways 38 and that there extends from such edge 49 a laterally extending and projecting finger 50, the lower end 5I of which is ground to a keen edge. This edge 5I is so disposed as to provide an inverted U-shaped trough U adapted to ride upon the spring S and to provide a shearing edge C at the bight of the trough U. The edge 5I is arranged such that upon descent of the carriage 23 the edge 5I will act as a Wedge to spread the convolutions of the spring S, thus clearing the Way for the shearing or cutting edge C which coacts with the lower rim R of the guideway 3B on the die 31 on the movable block 22 (Fig. 6) to effect a shearing action on the wire element I6', thus severing the same at such shearing point and leaving a free spring unir, 52 to the right of the frame 23 within the movable "aceras-'ze block; 22 anyshavings or lings by reason of the cutting operation falling straight. down through an opening in the bed plate l; it being noted that duri-ng thisxshearing operation such. free end of the coil spring S is held by thev clamping jaw 55 within the block 22., v

Immediately above the plane of the cutting edge C in. vertical alignment with the guide ele.- ment 2.1 is a'cam formation 61 which is movable .with the guide 21 and carriage 26 for engagement with a beveled edge 68 on the die 31 carried by thelmovable block 22. As. seen in Fig. 3,` the downward movement of this cam 61 will urgev the block 22 and all parts carried thereby to the right including the spring unit 52` now served from the` main` unit S, thereby spreading the several ends of thesenow individual units preparatory to .ther forming operation. now to be explained.

Each: of. the dieV units 36-31 carried by the' `|59 and 10 is xed upon theV vertically movable carriage 26 for movement therewith and' are so disposed as to move in the path provided between the setbacks provided in the dies 36--31.. These dies 69 and 10 are alike in structure inasmuch as each of them. is provided with a series of forming cams facing in the direction ofthe severed ends of. the spring units S and 52. In this regard, reference is made to Fig. 7 wherein die 10 is shown as having a leading .edge 1| adapted to bear against the side wall of the spring 52, to keep the latter in abutting relation with the inner side wall of the guideway 38. VA forming edge 12 extends slightly beyond the ledge 1| and has its lowermostedge 13 wedge-shaped so as t0 pvot the two outside convolutions L in a 'direction away from themain body (S or 52) of thespring members, acted upon (see Fig. 9d)` A second 4forming edge 14, having itslower edge 15 on an acute angle, is adapted to further swing the already pivoted end convolution Lvintovthe position shown in Fig. 9e.

` The final forming operation `by the die 69 or 1U is adapted to be performed concurrently with a crimping or bending operation by cam elements 19-"80 which are `associated with the dies 69-18 80 t (and 19) which cam isv formed on that side 8| v of the cam block 61 `facing the sheared ends of the several springs S and 52.

The die 10 (also 69) has a forming edge 16, in addition to those already mentioned,v which forming edge `16 has an arcuated lower edge 11 with a sweeping rise to an extreme extending edge 18 thereof. The arrangement is such that the crimping cam 88 engages the loop L at its point of connection with the main body ofthe spring 52 and simultaneously therewith the forming edge 16 of the forming die 10 engages the extending loop L approximately at its mid portion- (Fig. 9f) As the extreme edges 18 and 80 of the two coacting cams come into engagement with the loop L, a positive bend or crimp will be effected in the wire element I6 at the point of connection between the loop L and the spring 52.

It will be apparent that the foregoing description of structure and operation pertaining to the forming die 10 and the crimping cam 80 is equally Y'applicable to the forming. die 69 and crimping cam 19 (Figs. 9d, 9e, and 9j) and that in the formingv andcrimping operation the sheared ends of each of the spring units S and 52 are looped as explained. By reason of this simultaneous looping operation, the'leading end of the spring unit S prepared` fir-st and the trailing end of such unit S.' after it` has been severed into an individual spring unit 52,'is subsequently formed to provide a like loop, thus leaving a completed spring 52 (as shown in Fig. l0). clamped within the block 22.

f The cutting and forming operations having been completed by reason of a full depression of the main control lever 48, the latter is then swung upwardly to. raise the carriage 26 and itsv associated parts. It will betnoted that by reason-of the block 22 having shifted to the right, as seen in Fig. 14, the springend rod assembly 59-60 of the clamping jaw is out of vertical alignment with the latching yoke and that the stud 66 and yoke 65 will ascend with the carriage 26 beyond the horizontal plane of the headed end 63 on the rod 68 before there is a positive coupling. For this reason there is provided a novel coupling means which will operate automatically during the return movement of the main control lever 40.

The coupling means, bestv illustrated in Fig. l, is generally indicated at 82 and comprises a swinging `support inthe form of a lever 83 pivotally arranged `as at 84 on/alaterally extending stud 85 in turn carried by the frame 23 to provide a xed pivot. The opposite end of the lever 83 is pivotally connected `as at 85 to the lower end of a link 81, the upper end of which link has pivotalxconnection as at88 to one end of a stud 89 which is attached to and carried by the lever 49 at apoint spaced from its fulcrurn 42 so that the stud 89 will be movable with the lever 49 to impart a' swinging .motion to the swinging support orl lever 83. The main coupling tool iis-arranged on the swinging support 83 midway of its ends by suspending a vertically disposed base plate 90 from the lever 83., the plate 9|) having a loose pin connection 9| with such vlever 83. lThe lower end 92 of plate 98 is provided withqatrunnion wherein there is arranged on a horizontal axis 93 an upwardly extending coupling finger 94 having a forked upper end 95 bent outwardly in a direction away from the plate 99. This finger 94 is normally held in parallelism with respect to the plate 90 by providing the finger 94 with a headed pin 9B carried bythe finger 94 and extending through an opening or slot 91 formed in the plate 90, there being ayheaded portion 98 on this pin 96 and a spring 99 arranged between 4 the head 98 and the plate 90.

`When the carriage 26 is lowered as hereinbefore explained, the coupling means is likewise lowered a proportionate amount and asneath the nut elements 64 on the headed end 63 of the rod 69, it being clearly shown that such engagement will take place before the cam 61 Aheaded rod 60, thereby raising the jaw 55 out of 94 is free to swing in a counterclockwise direction about the axis 93 and by reason thereof the finger 94 will continue to'raise the headed end 63 of the rod 60 concurrently with the ascension of the yoke 55. The lower end of the yoke formation 65 is provided with a cam surface against which the yoke fingers 95 will bear so that as the lever 40, carriage 26, and coupling unit reach their extreme uppermost position, the yoke 95 will becammed back toward the plate 90.` i,

When the fork 95 has been sufliciently cammed away from the yoke 65, the latter will become positioned under the head nuts 64 and when the tension or frictional bearing between the fork 95 and the head nuts 64 is relieved the spring 99 will snap the finger 94 back to vertical condition.

It will be noted that upon the return movement of the carriage 25, the laterally extending ,linger 50 will again engage the spring4 S. In

order not to distort the completed or looped end L of the remaining spring unit S, there is formed in the stationary block |9 aflared opening ||0 (Fig. 5) and the finger 50 is provided with an obliquely disposed top surface. When the carriage 26 is raised as aforesaid, the surface of the projection 50 will bear against the finished end of the spring S and the latter will be flexed into the flared portion 0 of the guideway 38, thereby permitting a, by-pass for the finger 50. When the finger 50 has resumed its normally raised position, the spring S will by itsfown Vresiliency return into axial alignment with the main body thereof. The lever 40 will by that time have reached its fully raised position where it will again be latched -by bolt 43 and notch 45, and by the same token the rod 4| will have been lifted to raise the shut-olf lever 39 on the wire coiling unit whereupon the wire I5 will again be drawn through the feeding rollers |5 and another section of coil spring S emittedfrom the coiling die Such additional length of spring S will be fed into the guideways y38 in the blocks 9 and 22 as hereinbefore explained, the completed unit 52 having previously been drawn to the right, beyond the block 2l into a conveyor tray |0| positioned on the cross beam 34. The tray ||2| is adapted to receive and guide completed springs toward a pair of extracting rollers |02 and |03, the uppermost one |02 of which is drivingly connected to a shaft |04 journaled in bearing blocks |05. The shaft |04 is con- `nected by bevel gears |06 to a ldrive shaft |01 having power connection through belt and pulley |08 with the main drive shaft I2. Spring units 52 extracted through the rollers |02|03 are fed into an inclined chute |09 for conveyance into a suitable receptacle (not shown). The rollers |02|03 are provided with a tensioner adjustment (Fig. 1) for setting the pulling action of the rollers. By this arrangement completed springs have their free endv extended into the rollers |02|03 which slippingly ride over such free end until clamping jaw 55 is'released, whereupon the rollers |02|03 effect a withdrawal of the spring 52.

In Fig. 10 I have illustrated the novel article of manufacture, or spring, made in accordance With the features of this invention. It will be perceived that each of the looped ends has its cut extremity X disposed slightly inside of the rst adjoining unbent coil of the spring 52. 'I'his -arrangement is advantageous in that it enables any burr or sharp edge to be disposed substantially Within the confines of the coils of the spring or, in other words, in a position where it is not apt to cut or injure a person handling or installing the spring element. In addition, it enables this end to abut resiliently the last coil of the spring element, thereby enabling a compact and tight arrangement, which I have found to be desirable. It also lessens the likelihood of the hook being bent out of shape by reason of the extremity X getting caught into something and pulling the loop out of its normal shape.

I claim as follows:

1. The method of forming a helical spring having integral lateral attaching connections at the ends thereof, which comprises coiling a wire into a continuous helical coil that is progressively advanced along a predetermined path away from the coiling area, advancing the coil as it is formed from the coiling station to an end forming station and operating upon a portion of the continuous helically coiled wire to separate the adjoining convolutions by bending said convolutions at an angle to the longitudinal axis of said advancingcoiled wire and severing the wire at a point between the convolutions Y that comprise said ultimate lateral end connections, said separating and severing operations CARL G. HICKS. 

